Given the availability of some great cameras today, Just for the fun of it. if you are a working pro, shooting the horses COMING at you , which of the DSLR's would you bring to the track? You would shoot as they nose towards the finish, also. Lets have some fun
Images by MR
Posts: 6,017
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
the lonely photographer wrote: Given the availability of some great cameras today, Just for the fun of it. if you are a working pro, shooting the horses COMING at you , which of the DSLR would you bring to the track? You would shoot as they nose towards the finish, also. Lets have some fun
the lonely photographer wrote: Given the availability of some great cameras today, Just for the fun of it. if you are a working pro, shooting the horses COMING at you , which of the DSLR's would you bring to the track? You would shoot as they nose towards the finish, also. Lets have some fun
Nikon's D4 with its 11 FPS is gonna be hard to beat.
I have the 7D with 8 fps and love it for the races but soon getting the 1DX at 14 fps. Awesome for stills and fast for the track . With it's video features that makes it a Trificta
I have the 7D with 8 fps and love it for the races but soon getting the 1DX at 14 fps. Awesome for stills and fast for the track . With it's video features that makes it a Trificta
And given the design of the track, which lens ,say around the first turn, the straight AWAY TOWARDS THE FINISH LINE. what lens would you rent /use to catch the jockeys standing , the clods of dirt being thrown up, the dust. Would you DOF the leaders or try to get everybody in?
Depends on the lens you plan on using, what you have and where you are shooting from.
Most likely would want two cameras, one with a long lens, one with something wider for a sense of place. Good follow focus more important than FPS rate. I would say a D300s, D3s, D4 or off brand equivilant
If you want the dust, I would go with a high shutter speed (over 1000 sec)
And given the design of the track, which lens ,say around the first turn, the straight AWAY TOWARDS THE FINISH LINE. what lens would you rent /use to catch the jockeys standing , the clods of dirt being thrown up, the dust. Would you DOF the leaders or try to get everybody in?
My favorite as I have done alot of these would be the 85mm 1.2 although I have shot with the 85mm 1.8 and loved the results. Of course I shoot from the finish line at the rail.
My favorite as I have done alot of these would be the 85mm 1.2 although I have shot with the 85mm 1.8 and loved the results. Of course I shoot from the finish line at the rail.
Robert Helm wrote: Depends on the lens you plan on using, what you have and where you are shooting from.
Most likely would want two cameras, one with a long lens, one with something wider for a sense of place. Good follow focus more important than FPS rate. I would say a D300s, D3s, D4 or off brand equivilant
If you want the dust, I would go with a high shutter speed (over 1000 sec)
I agree with Robert. Nothing against Nikon. Canon and Nikon both make great cameras. I just happen to be a Canon shooter. For me 1st camera would be the 1DX with an 85mm 1.2, second camera I would shoot with my 7D and a 70-200mm 2.8 II Canon's newest and fastest zoom. If I were shooting Nikon I would go with the D800 and the D4. Both amazing cameras. Canon or Nikon you are going to get some awesome shots. Damn and the smell of a Triple Crown is in the air.
the lonely photographer wrote: Hey can you post a few ?
I have shot just that, as my avatar will attest.
I used a D2x with a 70-200 f2.8.
But a camera that shoots 8 or more frames a second will do.
I think putting a 200-400mm f on an D4 would be great.
Mainly you need to shoot a bit wide and crop in for the most dramatic shots. Shooting horses running at you top speed with a long fixed focal lens can really be tough on framing. You have only mere seconds to get the shot. I prefer a zoom.
Dang that would be going into my archives. Two amazing horses with an amazing story behind them. Bikers Bono and how 12 women bought a quarter horse as a hobby turning $8000 into $500,000. I was their personal photographer. Sadly he broke his leg at the annual auction night race and was put down. They had just bought Hard Hitting because they had made so much money for around $60,000. To make a long story short the trainer wanted to put him up for a claim race because at the time he was a runt. I talked the trainer out of it saying that this horse was coming out of the gate dead last each time and finishing in the top three. In a quarter mile race. He took a chance and listened to me. Hard Hitting grew and owns 4 World Records. The group was known for their awesome Winners Circle photos with up to 70 people. Dang. I will post a Winners Circle pic for sure tomorrow.
Dang that would be going into my archives. Two amazing horses with an amazing story behind them. Bikers Bono and how 12 women bought a quarter horse as a hobby turning $8000 into $500,000. I was their personal photographer. Sadly he broke his leg at the annual auction night race and was put down. They had just bought Hard Hitting because they had made so much money for around $60,000. To make a long story short the trainer wanted to put him up for a claim race because at the time he was a runt. I talked the trainer out of it saying that this horse was coming out of the gate dead last each time and finishing in the top three. In a quarter mile race. He took a chance and listened to me. Hard Hitting grew and owns 4 World Records. The group was known for their awesome Winners Circle photos with up to 70 people. Dang. I will post a Winners Circle pic for sure tomorrow.
Thanks and message me so I can be sure to see it. Theres a story for every great picture.
AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: seems to be a one-horse race. did everyone else get left behind at the start?
Okay not a race. It was the cover shot of Horse & Rider Magazine. The rider was Clinton Anderson. He was riding a big horse and that @#$ ran like the freaking wind!
I started out with a 600 f 5.6 to get the long lens shot. He was ridiculously far away but at a full gallop he was out of frame within seconds. There are so many factors that make a good shot or ruin it. The rider's expression the pose of the horse, image sharpness, backgrounds that can interfere with the subject. Even shooting at 8 fps I was not seeing the shot I wanted. He was going going to do this 4 times. So it wasn't like I had much chance to practice. I moved to my 70-20 for the last 2 runs. I'd say I got maybe 6 frames that I liked. This was my favorite.
the lonely photographer wrote: Hey can you post a few ?
This is not actually a photo that I took but simply proof I am sincere about Biker:
If you look at the group pic and start from the front line left the two young girls to the lady with the white jacket and brown slacks I am behind her with my head turned left talking to my girlfriend.
This is not actually a photo that I took but simply proof I am sincere about Biker:
If you look at the group pic and start from the front line left the two young girls to the lady with the white jacket and brown slacks I am behind her with my head turned left talking to my girlfriend.
Thanks for the posting, This looks like a great way to build an action portfolio, since a lot of DSLRs can do HD video also its an option. Horse racing is so exciting. Now its onto Greyhounds do they still do that?
Thanks and message me so I can be sure to see it. Theres a story for every great picture.
I have a photo album of pics from Biker and all the people involved. A real story. I also wrote up a story behind the story "Bikers Bono, A Love Affair with a Quarter Horse". A story about a couple (My girlfriend/part owner and myself) and how our romance was as much a part of the story.
Hunter jumping isn't racing by any means but the shots that sale / license from the sport are where the horses front hooves are together and right over the forward bar.
The D3 has a fast enough reaction time that I can get it perhaps 80 - 90% of the time. No multi-frame auto happiness. Just good old fashioned one shot, one kill type of shooting. (assuming the horse's hooves are together for the jump)
PhotoSeven
Posts: 1,143
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US
Use a 1D or D4.
If you are on the first turn us a 400mm as well as a 70-200 to get them coming around and possible jubo at the end. 400mm for the start/finish. If you feel real adventurous have a third with a wide angle/remote. (Be there wayyy early to set up and test, then cover it with a trash bag until just before the race)
Back when I covered Preakness with AP I had the honor of standing on the track against the outside rail, about 50ft from the finish to cover and last sec. lead changes. (I say honor sarcasticlly, I blew out my knee out, the night before so I drew the spot that had the least moving pre/post race)
PhotoPower
Posts: 1,309
Elmsdale, Nova Scotia, Canada
Assuming you're in the pro-sumer range (or you would not have asked the question!) I have to say I just got the 7D this week and I cannot imagine anything better in this price range for a shoot at the track!
You do not want a zoom lens on your camera with a herd coming at you quickly like this...you want pick your position...and as somebody previously suggested an 85mm on a cropped sensor camera will be awesome if you're in the right position!! Are you going to Belmont? Have fun!!!
Being that i'm from Lexington KY ive shot my fair share at Keenland and Churchill Downs. I have just switched from shooting a Sony a700 to using a Nikon D700 but haven't been to the track to test it yet.
If i had the money i'd be shooting with a D4 over anything else. I think its more than FPS and the D4 has great color depth, great ISO preformance and its is a fast FF camera. Lens really depend on your track placement, what you are focusing on, and track conditions for the day. I've used everything from a 500 F8 mirror lens to 70-200, 135 Zeiss and 85 Zeiss and even a 300 2.8.
I haven't been able to get on the track as it requires a pretty good size insurance policy that the photographer must carry. (at Churchill) Those guys set up bodies with wide angle lens under the inside rail to shoot the finish with the grandstands behind the horses. They then shoot with a 70-200 min and up to a 600 f4 even one time i saw a 800 5.6 depending on where you are located.
I like to set up on the last turn for the stretch. I do this because you get more in tight racing and fighting for positions. Shooting the finish a lot (if on the track) shoot from the outside of turn 1 to get the grandstands on the left and to pull in the lead horses with DOF.
the lonely photographer wrote: Given the availability of some great cameras today, Just for the fun of it. if you are a working pro, shooting the horses COMING at you , which of the DSLR's would you bring to the track? You would shoot as they nose towards the finish, also. Lets have some fun
I think it's unsafe to shoot horses running full speed at you with any camera.
Photosbycj wrote: Being that i'm from Lexington KY ive shot my fair share at Keenland and Churchill Downs. I have just switched from shooting a Sony a700 to using a Nikon D700 but haven't been to the track to test it yet.
If i had the money i'd be shooting with a D4 over anything else. I think its more than FPS and the D4 has great color depth, great ISO preformance and its is a fast FF camera. Lens really depend on your track placement, what you are focusing on, and track conditions for the day. I've used everything from a 500 F8 mirror lens to 70-200, 135 Zeiss and 85 Zeiss and even a 300 2.8.
I haven't been able to get on the track as it requires a pretty good size insurance policy that the photographer must carry. (at Churchill) Those guys set up bodies with wide angle lens under the inside rail to shoot the finish with the grandstands behind the horses. They then shoot with a 70-200 min and up to a 600 f4 even one time i saw a 800 5.6 depending on where you are located.
I like to set up on the last turn for the stretch. I do this because you get more in tight racing and fighting for positions. Shooting the finish a lot (if on the track) shoot from the outside of turn 1 to get the grandstands on the left and to pull in the lead horses with DOF.
That last pic the # 2 horse from the left, is airborne! the 2 in the right side look like they are out for a stroll! you guys that get to shoot these, are so lucky, I wish I can have a few shots I can take credit for. So amazing!!
| 
| 
| edu